Delhi cops book two British aircraft snoopers

Steve Martin and Stephen Hampston were charged with espionage, and faced a possible 20-year prison term.

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Kumar Vikram

New Delhi

February 22, 2010

UPDATED: February 22, 2010 09:21 IST

The Delhi Police have booked two British nationals for indulging in suspicious activities. Steve Martin and Stephen Hampston were booked on Saturday under the Indian Telegraph Act, the police said.

They were allegedly recording a conversation between the pilot of an aircraft and the Air Traffic Control from Radisson Hotel near Indira Gandhi International Airport where they were staying.

The two were detained last Monday after hotel staff became suspicious about their activities. They were found using powerful sophisticated gadgets to track the movement of flights near the airport.

They were interrogated by intelligence agencies as well as the Delhi Police. During preliminary investigation, they were also found to be illegally recording the conversation.

Joint commissioner of police (Southern Range) Ajay Kashyap said a non- congnisable report had been filed against the two Britons under Section 20 of the Telegraph Act. If convicted, the duo will have to either serve a three- year prison term or pay a fine of up to Rs 1,000 or both. The case was registered at the Vasant Kunj police station.

A senior police officer said the two were kept at Lampur detention centre.

Investigators said the sophisticated gadget could be attached to an antenna and used to monitor air traffic. It can even spot the movement of military aircraft, an officer said.

British High Commission has also been informed about the development.

The police examined the gadget recovered from them. Reports from the directorate general of civil aviation and other security agencies are awaited. The officer added that they would be given a clean chit only after the reports were out.

However, the Britons have so far claimed that aircraft spotting was their hobby.

In 2001, the legal repercussions of the 'hobby' were dramatically shown when 14 aircraft spotters were arrested by the Greek police after being observed at the Greek Air Force base at Kalamata.

They were charged with espionage, and faced a possible 20-year prison term.